Wednesday, April 18, 2012

A Quarter for Free: Who is to pay?

Education, even though morally &
legally ought to be treated as non-profitable venture, akin to social service,
is unfortunately seen as a money bearing tree. Even the reputed schools, known for
quality education, are increasingly favouring the riches to meet the
acclimating expenditures and to pocket some profit for the imaginative lean
period. On the occasion of tamizh New Year, came delightful news from the
Supreme Court of the nation that 25% of school seats should be allotted for
financially backward students aged till 14 years. When this act comes into
practice next academic year, classrooms that once were filled with students
from the affluent society, who were all cushioned from the trivial perils of
day to day life, will hence be filled with representatives from a plethora of
communities bringing with them their own baggage for the new community to
observe, analyse and learn.

Going back in time, when this act was announced, a lot
of angry voices raised against it from the private institutions’ side, which
felt the act with eat away all its revenue. Like in any act, when such voices
raises we are accustomed to hearing news that some amendment has been made to
appease the concern parties: meaning the law makers were pleased by the offer
the parties had made. But it was rather surprising that the highest court thwarted
their effort. But sneaking in the clause that residential & non-aided
minority institutions don’t come under this purview does raise eyebrows.

While people keep debating on the
grey side of the deal, there are some gaping holes that aren’t touched upon by
the all praising media. In a country where literacy rate is at an abysmal level
due to financial constraints, 25% seats of the current schools will be handed over to the
underprivileged, thereby hopefully reducing the illiteracy rate among the
hapless. But without increasing the infrastructure or at least the strength of
the school, what will happen of the very people the poor will replace? Will the
institutions be generous enough to pump in more money to provide facilities for
the increased head count? Or will the standards deteriorate due to increased
strength in a class? Suppose we assume that the institution has come forward to
provide the facilities for the increased strength, who will be donor? The onus
will now rely on common man, who is already paying taxes for the
underprivileged to get all the benefits that the government is offering only to
them. I am all for sponsoring a child’s education, but I at least want to be
respected for that, rather than be treated as some capitalist who drinks red
wine by sucking the blood out of the labourers.

But these aren't the real problems
that the system will face. The most imperative issue is the means by which
poverty is classified. Certainly we won’t be taking the Ahluwaila route, but we
can’t take the income tax as cogent evidence as well. During my school days,
the richest man in Vadapalani was quoting his annual income as a quarter of
what my father, a proper bourgeois, was earning. Now why should we pay for people like
them? Will we then use the tired & continuously
ridiculed formula of terming people poor since their forefathers belonged to SC,OBC & BC and thereby bring the
caste system into schools as well?

Maybe the government plans to use
the yet to be completed/released data of the 2011 census which promises to
bring about a mammoth change in how we see our population. Till then let hope
spring in the Brest.

2 comments:

Love the way you organize your thoughts Harish! :) I am not exaggerating when I say that seeing that your blog has been updated continues to remain one of the most thrilling moments! Detailed comment coming up soon!